Now that we have covered the impacts of art on environmental awareness, let’s delve into materials and the art-making process! I’ve done quite a few paintings myself and out of the three mediums I’ve used (acrylic paint, watercolour and oil paint), acrylic paint is my favourite. It dries within minutes and colours can be layered over easily. Such features make it a forgiving medium to use, hence it’s my go-to for painting. Is using acrylic paint sustainable in the long run? Let’s unpack this a little further!
My acrylic paints
Acrylic paints are produced by binding powdered colour pigments to an acrylic polymer emulsion (Liquitex, n.d.). Depending on the brand of paint, you may smell an odour as it dries. Wonder why the paint is able to produce this smell? Parts of the emulsion base evaporate during the drying process, releasing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like naphthalene, ethylbenzene and styrene (just to name a few). As Dr Coleman mentioned in a lecture, VOCs can contribute to the problem of air pollution and inhaling these substances could lead to an increased risk of “hepatic or nervous damage as well as carcinogenic effects” (Bauer, Buettner, 2018). In response to this, some paint companies have switched to water-based solvents to minimise their release. While it sounds like good news, the Bauer and Buettner paper notes that trace amounts of organic solvents are still present in some acrylic paints and “exposure to VOCs cannot be fully excluded”.
Are VOCs the only environmental concern associated with acrylic paint? Sadly, no. The disposal of acrylic paints could lead to water pollution as well. Some acrylic paints were revealed to contain additives like dimethylformamide stabilisers and dimethylphthalate plasticizers (Izzo et al., 2015), which have toxic properties (NCBI, n.d., Kovacic, 2010). Many artists wash their brushes and flush the leftover paint water into the sink, unaware that they might also be pouring chemicals into the drainage system. If not treated adequately, such chemicals could eventually end up entering other water bodies in the ecosystem, affecting water quality.
Learning about the components of paint shocked me greatly, so I did a quick check on the acrylic paints I have. Fortunately, the student-grade paints I use are generally solvent-free, but not all paints are equally safe. When purchasing paints, some artists only think of the colours they might need at the moment and what goes into them may not cross their mind. While it’s understandable that one requires the right materials to produce a great work of art, we should also start to be more conscious of what goes into our materials so that we can protect not only our own health, but the environment too.
To end on a nicer note, it’s great to know that some companies like Natural Earth Paint have started to produce eco-friendly paints and I think it’s definitely a step in the right direction. Let’s continue to work together to create art sustainably!
References
Liquitex. (n.d.). What is Acrylic Paint. Retrieved from https://www.liquitex.com/us/knowledge/what-is-acrylic-paint/.
Bauer, P., Buettner, A. (2018). Characterisation of Odorous and Potentially Harmful Substances in Artists’ Acrylic Paint. Public Health. Retrieved from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2018.00350/full.
Izzo, F. C. et al. (2015). A Preliminary Study of the Composition of Commercial Oil, Acrylic and Vinyl Paints and their Behaviour after Accelerated Ageing Conditions. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274014713_A_preliminary_study_of_the_composition_of_commercial_oil_acrylic_and_vinyl_paints_and_their_behaviour_after_accelerated_ageing_conditions.
National Centre for Biotechnology Information. (n.d.). Compound summary: N,N-Dimethylformamide. Retrieved from https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/N_N-Dimethylformamide.
Kovacic, P. (2010). How dangerous are phthalate plasticizers? Integrated approach to toxicity based on metabolism, electron transfer, reactive oxygen species and cell signaling. Medical Hypotheses, 74(4), 626-628. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306987709007890.
October 5, 2020 at 11:21 am
Hi Sarah-Ann,
Marcus here. It was my first time going through your blog and I just want to say that your sketches and paintings are really amazing! On this issue of acrylic paint, I would like to ask, how prevalent is the use of acrylic paint globally and is it predominantly for art painting purposes? Because if that were so, would it be right to say that acrylics VOC exposure is more of a human health concern towards its users rather than a larger-scale environmental concern? I must admit that on the few times I have actually attempted painting, I flushed the acrylic and watercolour paints down the sink like you mentioned, so you have opened my eyes to something new 🙂 Thanks for your sharing!
October 5, 2020 at 1:09 pm
Hi Marcus, thank you for liking my artwork and I’m glad I opened your eyes to something new! That’s a good question, I may not have all the answers right now but I’ll try to address your question to the best of my ability.
Unfortunately, statistics on the prevalence of acrylic paint use are rather sparse and concrete numbers are very difficult to find, but to my knowledge (and from personal experience), acrylic paints are very common. Artists often begin their painting foundation with acrylic paint before learning to use other painting mediums. If you walk into any Art Friend outlet, you definitely won’t miss the large acrylic paint section. Acrylic paint generally serves two purposes, one of which is for artistic/decorative works and the other is for the exterior painting of infrastructures like walls and outdoor signs. I think it is true that acrylic paint is mainly used for artistic purposes and does pose a big concern for human health, but I would also like to add on that when painting, artists are often advised to ventilate their workspace to displace any toxic gas releases. While good ventilation/sufficient airflow in a workspace may reduce the human health risks, these VOCs or toxic gases that escape from one’s workspace can still make their way into the atmosphere and interact with NOx gases to form ground-level ozone too. Perhaps if you look at it from this perspective, it can be a fairly big environmental concern too and it’s something that should not be overlooked. I hope this answers your question!
Thank you for pointing this out though, it’s definitely a good learning point for blog writing!
October 5, 2020 at 4:09 pm
Hi Sarah-Ann,
Another interesting & engaging post. Since I’m not a visual artist, this isn’t really something I’ve thought of, but reading your text, it occurs to me to ask you : when you talk about many artists washing their brushes, so that whatever paints are on them end up going down the drain… is there actually an alternative ? If so, what ?
As an aside, did you know that tattoo ink can contain toxic metals and other toxic substances, including carcinogens, and that really, this is a nearly unregulated thing ? Can you imagine having this knowledge and still getting tattooed anyway ? I can.
jc
October 5, 2020 at 4:48 pm
Hi Dr Coleman, a possible alternative that I’ve heard of is to let your paint water sit and leave it to evaporate. This will leave behind the dry paint and the paint should then be disposed of in the general waste bin. Another possible alternative is to line a bucket with a pantyhose and filter the dirty paint water through. You can check out the following links for more paint disposal alternatives:
https://www.estesair.com/blog/painting-project-winter-dont-rinse-brush-sink/#:~:text=Disposing%20of%20the%20Dirty%20Paint%20Water&text=A%20warm%2C%20dry%20climate%20works,bag%20with%20your%20other%20trash.
https://acrylicartworld.com/how-to-dispose-of-acrylic-paint/
Unfortunately, these methods only minimise the impact and there doesn’t seem to be a completely sustainable or waste-free solution at the moment. It’s something still makes me feel rather conflicted about on the inside when I look back at my paintings.
About your tattoo point, I think this is a very interesting point and it made me think about my art practice. I’m aware that tattoo ink contains toxic substances and that has deterred me from even considering getting a tattoo. Similarly, some art materials do contain toxic chemicals and it can be wasteful to produce/constantly buy such materials, which is why I have actually stopped buying art materials. Personally, while I do love art a lot, the environment is a higher priority in comparison. Of course, I still want to create art but I do think about the consequences of my actions a lot and that’s why I’ve been trying my best to strike a balance between the two. In my opinion, drawing is a little more sustainable in comparison to painting since I can recycle my paper afterwards so I’ve been transitioning towards that. Just to end off, I think whether one chooses to partake in such actions after knowing of the consequences is dependent on what one’s mindset towards tattoos, creating art or even environmental issues is like and it’s merely just a thought!
Thank you for the interesting questions!
October 14, 2020 at 4:51 pm
Wouldn’t it be cool if someone would invent environmentally benign art materials (that still deliver desired results) in compostable packaging ? That might be a great project for an entrepreneurial BES student / grad.
These days, there are tattoo inks that are vegetable based or, for black, made from black carbon, which is non-toxic. But, tbh, I started getting tattoos way before I developed common sense, let alone any sense of my own mortality or environmental responsibility. By the time I became more aware, I already had plenty.
And there’s a saying… in for a penny, in for a pound.
Meaning, tattoos are addictive. At this pt, I rationalise my behaviour by choosing artists who use safer inks & consciously ignoring the lg amt of waste (many pairs of gloves, paper towels, saran wrap, etc.) while telling myself that my efforts in daily life to get as close to zero-waste as I can make up for my once-every-2-years tattoo. So, you know, I’m no angel. In fact, I can’t wait for my next one.
October 14, 2020 at 10:37 pm
Hi Dr Coleman, it would be interesting to see someone invent environmentally benign art materials in compostable packaging. On a side note, I didn’t know that you were so enthusiastic about tattoos!
October 21, 2020 at 8:37 pm
My mother sure wishes I weren’t.
October 21, 2020 at 10:31 am
Hi Sarah-ann!
That was a really informative and enjoyable post! I’ve had limited experience with painting and have only used acrylic paint (the brand name is called Citadel paints and its great for painting miniatures!), so it was eye opening to read about its environmental impacts.
One other product related to paints are paint removers. Do you know of any types of paint removers that are more environmentally-friendly? For me I use turpentine which is derived from pine resin, but i’m not sure if it is regarded as a more eco-friendly paint remover.
Cheers!
Joseph.
October 21, 2020 at 9:29 pm
Hi Joseph, glad you liked my post! While I am aware that turpentine is toxic, I’m not too sure about its environmental impacts since I hardly use it but if I do remember correctly, it isn’t eco-friendly. My art teacher once told me that inhaling its fumes can increase your risk of developing respiratory conditions. From what I know, turpentine does release a smell and this most likely comes from the VOC fumes produced. Personally, I don’t really use paint removers so I may not be able to advise you in this area but there are definitely some more eco-friendly alternatives on the market. You can check out this link for some suggestions!
https://homebuilding.thefuntimesguide.com/green_ways_how_to_remove_paint/#:~:text=Many%20people%20find%20that%20soy,can%20replace%20traditional%20chemical%20strippers.
October 28, 2020 at 8:35 pm
Thanks Sarah-ann! I’ll be sure to check them out!
Cheers!
Joseph.